The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-08-13

Q " men Will earn but about $1,000 per month
Q "About fifty men have returned TO Bel
a "gium in the last six months under gusrau
a "tees from the government that their wage
c SHOULD be higher than they are here The,
. "can actually make higher cash wages toda,
o Gin Belgium in the glass industry than the,
, lean here with protective tariff of l47 pei
"cent.
&" We are sure to win in this glass workers
"strike for the men are thoroughly united
} and We know that the manufacturers car
} " afford TO pay the rates we ask and make Z
: " handsome profit. We have supported |, SOC
men since June 30th, and can supper,
- them six months to come if necessary, "
&C, &c
Evidently, Secretary Gressner, though .
declared protectionist, takes but little stock
in the pretense that the SO per cent duty on
window glass is necessary to protect the
American manufacturer against the difference
in the scale Of European and American
wages, or in the sincerity Of the declaration
of the glass manufacturers that, "they hum.
bly, acknowledge that they cannot proceed 10
business without it," If projection is nee
essary for any reason, it is evidently not be
cause of the difference in the scale OF foreign
and domestic wages.
After arguing that protection cheapens
production, Mr.. Trimblc says; "IIow, then,
it will be asked, does protection protect"
And answers; "A tariff simply guards pro
Elective values against foreign invasion up
to and within certain limits fixed by itself.
Beyond it cannot go; inside the prescribed
limits it has nothing to do but submit 10
'the law Of supply and demand, all Of
:" which means to give the American market,
81 at reasonable values, TO American manu-.
" tacturers and American workmen for what
" there is in it,
And what is there in it for the glass
worker and the glass manufacturer? We may
see, by observing how it works with the
other industries, for it is often easier to see
n mote in our neighbor's business than 9
bean in our own. When the duty is 80 high
that it prohibits importation, then instead Of
competition reducing prices, our manufac-
turers combine to keep prices up nearly to
the limit of the duty, beyond the actual cost.
Thus, the steel rail manufacturers met last
spring and limited the output for the year
1887 to 100000 tons in order to keep |
prices up to S3S 90 per ton. Foreign rails,
after paying duty, freights, &C., can be sold |
in New York for $4,000 per ton Rails can
be probably manufactured here at $500
per ton. The tariff enables the manufactur |
ers to combine and hold the price at $500
and still hold the exclusive control of the
market. And this is the way the tariff
guards protective values against foreign in.
vasion, up to and within certain limits fixed
by ITSELF which, being interpreted, means
that it enables the manufacturers to combine
and plumber the consumer to any extent,
limited only by the duty.
This, Mr. Trimble says, "gives the Amer
lean market, at reasonable values, to Ameri.
can manufacturers and American workmen
for what there is in it," Well, what is there
in it? Our rolling mills have capacity of
3 900 900 tons per annum; but there being
more money in 100000 tons at $38 90 per
ton than in 5000, 600 tons at S25 90. the mill
owners elect to make the lesser quantity and
extort the greater price. The tariff permits
them to accomplish their purpose-to com.
bine, limit production, and dictate prices
And this is what there is in it, for the
When the output is limited to half the ca.
Dacity of the mills, il means half time or
lalf pay to the laborer; but half the mills
Jan run all of the time, or all but half the S
ims. In either event. but half the labor can q
'e employed proftably. Needy men crowd =
ZACH other and underbid for the privilege OF J
day Of toll This drives down the wages
# the half that are employed while those I
Who do not labor must, through their unions, 9
70 supported by those who do, or tramp, beg
r starve, and this is but small part Of g
what there is in it, for the aborer. II
Colossal fortunes are in 100000 tons Of !,
ails at $500 per ton, and but legitimate h
nd moderate ones in 100000 tons at s
$500. Hence, labor must be driven from u
Employment and pauperized, rights invaded, q
nd the welfare of the nation sacrificed, that g
orty rolling mill owners may faten upon a
he rest of community. Every interest of :
he country would be conserved and improv. 8,
d by making the greater amount; every in. "
crest injured and depressed by combining
ne output to the lesser. A duty Of 60 per =
ent upon rails forbids importation and de- \
vers the nation over to the rolling mill own. N
RS, who may plumber dd hJitum cup to and F
'ithin certain limits fixed" by themselves y
happened rails would 80 stimulate railroad NJ
uilding and repairing that the market would ii
lore readily take the 100000 tons at cl